Unstable
by Cuppycakegirlxx
Summary: It's been months since Rex discovered Noah was working for the White Knight but the Knight isn't one to give up easily. What happens when a mysterious young girl with sharp knives show up at Providence and what deadly secret is she hiding from them.


_It was just one of those days at Providence. Six was not smiling, Holiday was working, Rex had disappeared again and Bobo was getting on everyone's nerves like always._

_ "I'm hungry, anyone got a pizza?" No answer, Six never paid any attention to him. "Yo, Six, starving simian here!" Again no answer. Suddenly, the large computer wall screen flickered on to reveal the face of the White Knight. _

_ "Agent Six, it seems Rex has gone missing, again." His black eyebrows, the only part of him that wasn't pale white, furrowed. Six opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Holiday. _

"_True sir, but due to the fact that Rex is only 15, we can't keep him locked in his room all day."_

"_Yes, so I'm sending in a spy, someone who can watch him for me." Six spoke up._

"_You tried that with Noah, it almost got them both killed." Six's expression was completely neutral; his voice gave away none of his feeling on the matter."_

"_A minor setback, this time, Rex isn't to know about her."_

"_Her?" Holiday narrowed her eyes at the screen._

"_Yes, I've already sent her," a shadow fell from the roof and landed in front of Six, who didn't flinch. It was a tall lithe girl, she looked about Rex's age._

"_I would like to introduce Ms. Samantha Simon." _

"Rex," Rex winced and paused in his silent ascent up the stairs. Not that he was afraid of Six, mostly just that he liked to avoid these kind of confrontations. It took up too much of his time, not that Six spoke a lot, it was that whenever Six caught him he would suddenly have another long period of intense meditation or a talk with his psycho therapist.

"Look, I can totally explain this…" his voice trailed off. Standing beside Six was a girl. A pretty girl. She looked about his age. Long, smooth red hair pulled up into a ponytail. She was wearing a blue figure tank top and black shorts and a black jacket and black gloves.

"This is Samantha," the girl appraised him from the top of his head, to his feet. She smiled.

"Are you an E.V.O?" She shook her head. She didn't talk much either. Except on her, it was okay because she had a terrific smile.

"Samantha has a special talent," she smiled and a small knife materialized in her hand, as if it appeared by magic. Rex stepped back. She twirled the knife around in her hand. It glinted, dazzling, hypnotic.

Bobo walked in "what does a monkey have to do to get a meal around here?" The knife, which had previously been in her hand, reappeared on the wall where it had pinned Bobo's hat. Rex doubled over laughing while Bobo scowled and snatched his hat from the wall with a ripping sound. Samantha walked over to him and knelt down in front of him. Then she spoke.

"Hey monkey, aren't you cute?" She scratched his head. Bobo, who usually hated being called 'cute', 'adorable' or a synonym of those words, instead of biting, allowed her to continue petting his head.

"Oh sure," Rex started sarcastically, "don't talk to us humans, pay attention to the annoying monkey." She turned back to Rex and suddenly he was stuck to the wall by another knife.

"I really should have seen that coming." He pulled the knife out of his jacket and handed it back to her. She smiled. She really didn't talk much. She placed the knife into a small bag around her waist.

"Come on, I'll show you around."

An hour later, Rex was flying with her over the city. She wasn't scared of heights, from the little he'd gleaned from her; she wasn't scared of a lot of things.

"So, who's Noah?" Her hair whipped out behind her as she clung to his back.

"My best friend, he's also single,"

"That information was uncalled for." She arched one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. He laughed.

He landed in an old basketball court. A tall blond guy was throwing shots and scoring most of them. He spun a ball on his finger and threw it. Samantha cocked her head. He was good.

"Hey man, I want you to meet someone." He turned and she sucked in her breath.

He was cute. About a head taller than her, wide shouldered, she could tell he had muscles under his shirt. And he had blue eyes, she loved blue eyes.

When Noah turned around, he expected to see Bobo in a ridiculous outfit, not a hot girl. She wasn't talking; she just stood with one hand perched on one curvy hip. She had a killer body. And a killer smile, she smiled at him. Instinctively, he smiled back.

"Well when you guys are done making eyes at each other…" they both started and blushed. She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Noah coughed nervously, Rex laughed at their embarrassed expressions.

Samantha turned and her gaze fell upon a snack machine. Immediately, she forgot her earlier embarrassment. The machine still worked, even though it probably hadn't been used in days. But inside was the snack food she loved, something she rarely got to eat.

"Doritos," she turned to face Rex and Noah, "do any of you guys have a dollar?" Noah rooted in his pocket.

"Oh yeah, here you go." He handed her a bill. Their hands brushed together and she felt a warm tingle up her arm. She pulled back a bit, her face going slightly red. She slid the note inside and picked out the chips. The smell of peppers and potato chips filled the air.

"You like chili Doritos?" Noah asked, she nodded through a mouthful. "It's just that, lots of girls I know are always eating stuff like vegetarian burgers, or tofu coleslaw."

"They have tofu coleslaw?" Noah noticed she had the most amazing green eyes that twinkled when she found something amusing. Her lips split into a wide grin. Why was he noticing her lips?

"I don't know."

"I've been standing around here, we gonna play or what?" They both suddenly remembered Rex. She turned and walked over to where the edge of the court where she sat.

"Rex?" Noah caught the ball Rex tossed to him.

"Yes Noah?"

"I think I'm in love."

"Noah, you just met the girl!" Rex threw the ball, and missed. He caught it on the rebound.

"I know but…" he watched her push a lock of auburn hair behind her ear, her lips were so full and her eyes, they were the most stunning shade of green he'd ever seen.

"Hey, Romeo," Rex conked him on the head with the ball and he snapped out of his daydream, "if you like her so much, ask her out."

"But you said it yourself, I barely know her," he watched her crumple up the packet and toss it in a perfect arc into a nearby trash can.

"True, but you'll never get to know her by being too scared."

Samantha thought about Noah at the oddest times.

Like when she was supposed to be doing gymnastics.

Or when she was eating.

But mostly when she was just lying around in her room bored out of her mind. Providence could be seriously boring. No wonder Rex took off so often. She just wished the guy would take her with him more often and not just fly off. Maybe she'd sneak off too.

She sat up in her bed and slid out. She peeked out of her room. No guards around. She took off running, ducking and slipping out of sight when needed. Until she reached where they kept the motorcycles and stuff. She grinned.

Three minutes later she was flying down the street in her 'new' motorbike. She didn't stop until she reached the court. Noah and Rex looked really surprised to see her when she screeched to a stop.

"Hi guys Sam, what are you doing here?" Rex eyed the bike but didn't comment on it.

"Eh, I got bored back at Providence." She patted the bike.

"Isn't that a Providence motorcycle?" Rex raised an eyebrow.

"Not anymore it's not!" Sam replied cheerfully, as if it was normal to go around stealing modes of transportation from rich organizations. Noah grinned at her but somehow, he got hung up on her eyes. They were just so big, so luminous, so…

"Is it just me or is that a helicopter?" Sam glanced up at the large white helicopter hovering above them. Six stood at its door.

"Rex, we have a problem," he turned to go and then looked over his shoulder, "Sam, don't steal anymore motorbikes." She shrugged and mounted the bike. She looked back at Noah.

"Hey, you coming or what?"

"What?" Noah stared at her; a pair of boosters had already erupted out of Rex's back.

"You can man a gun, right?" Her eyes twinkled and he couldn't help it, he smiled at her. She just had that effect on him.

"Yeah but…" she interrupted.

"Then let's go!" She pulled him behind her on the bike and used the skateboarding ramps to launch herself into the helicopter.

"How is that even possible?" Noah asked her as she landed. She shrugged like 'who cares?' but Noah knew he did.

Okay, maybe dragging Noah into it was kind of rude. The guy didn't even say whether or not he wanted to come. Still, she did a lot of things without thinking and she'd lived with them. She'd survive.

This E.V.O was a weird beaver, cat like thing with horns. Rex was keeping it busy, pounding it with punches, Noah was shooting at the thing and he was doing a really good job. Maybe all that basketball improved his aiming skills. She shot knives at the thing continuously, back flipping and kicking. Yet her thoughts were on Noah. They were always on Noah. It wasn't even like the guy liked her; she was probably just that girl with great aim and motorbike skills.

Suddenly, the E.V.O swung around and knocked her directly into Noah. She slammed into him and they rolled together for a while until they stopped. He was on top of her and she had a strong desire to kiss him. She turned her head and struggled until he got off her. She had to move before she did something really stupid.

Noah wasn't exactly sure whether to shoot the E.V.O or thank it. He'd never been this close to Sam. She smelled like roses and had a birthmark in the shape of a star just below her neck. It took all his will power not to press a kiss to it.

It wasn't as if she liked him. She was as hot as a supermodel, she threw knives like a pro and could do gymnastic and motorbike stunts better than a lot of professionals. Noah knew he wasn't like Rex, all confidence with his mechanical nanite parts and charming good looks. Sometimes, Noah was jealous of Rex, even though they were best friends.

"Hey Noah, duck!" She grabbed his arm and yanked him down behind a pile of rubble, just as the E.V.O flew over their heads.

"Shouldn't we help?" Noah asked her as she pocketed her knives.

"Nah, Rex's got this." A bright silver blue light shone, and then died down. "See?" They crawled out from behind the rocks. Rex was standing beside a small brown and white kitten and scratching his head.

"Aw, it's adorable!" She scooped it up and cuddled it. The kitten licked her nose and Sam giggled.

"What is it with you and animals?" Rex wondered. Noah watched, feeling an unreasonable amount of jealousy over the way she hugged and kissed the kitten. It was just plain weird to be jealous of a cat.

Samantha named the kitten Oreo. Noah had started dropping by Providence more often. He kept saying he came to see Rex. Sam knew the guy was shy, it was one of the reasons she liked him so much. He was sensitive and funny and they had a lot in common. She talked to Oreo bout him because, having no other female confidant, the cat was her only companion in that sense.

"Samantha?" Holiday opened the door to her room. Samantha looked up, or rather; she looked down from where she was hanging upside down from the roof of her room. "Sam, what are you doing?"

"Uh, hanging upside down from the roof?" Sam swung down and landed on her feet.

"I can see that." Bobo made his way into the room. Oreo hissed at him. She was suspicious of the large hairy thing with the funny hat.

"Take it easy fur ball," he sat on the beanbag chair opposite the cat. "So, Romeo made a move yet?"

"What?" Sam pushed the kitten away from where she had dumped her jacket and scooped her up.

"Romeo, Noah, same thing, you got any pizza?"

"No, why would you say that, Noah doesn't even like me." Bobo snorted but said nothing. She suddenly wanted to know.

"If you tell me what you know, I'll give you something better than pizza."

"What could be better than pizza?"

"This," she held up a red bottle. It was a bottle of super strawberry Kool-Aid. Another one of Bobo's many cravings but one he only got to drink once in a blue moon due to the fact that the whole drink was 95% sugar. His eyes lit up and he reached for it but she held it just out of reach.

"Uh uh uh, not until you start talking."

"Fine, Noah really…" suddenly, Rex and Noah burst into her room. Sam started, giving Bobo enough time to snatch the bottle out of her hands and make his way out.

"Was that super strawberry Kool-Aid?" Rex slapped his hand to his head, "he's gonna be hyper for the whole day."

"Why would you give him that anyway?" Noah looked curious. She swallowed hard; you only ever gave the monkey food if you wanted info. There was no way she was actually going to confess the real reason she'd bribed Bobo, so she said nothing.

"She's not going to talk." Rex casually draped an arm over her shoulders. She noticed Noah's eyes narrow and his face darkened. Either from jealousy, or the shadow cast by her door suddenly darkened. "Keeps secrets better than a locked vault." She smiled at him but still couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with Noah, she knew if she did her face would be redder than a ripe cherry tomato.

Besides, it wasn't her place to fall for Noah.

She'd been hired to spy on Rex. Or else.

White had made that clear in their last conversation.

"_Ms. Simon, why did I hire you?" The white face that blended with it's equally pale surroundings filled the screen._

_ "To watch Rex." Samantha's voice was carefully modulated. No emotion showed on her face._

_ "And have you been following my instructions?" She was silent as a dozen pictures of her and Noah hanging out together filled the screen. At random places. Pizza parlours, ice cream stores, the observatory, even the zoo._

_ "Ms. Simon, you know why you have no choice in this." Samantha kept silent. She knew why, oh she knew exactly why she had to do this. Even if it meant betraying her friends. It was a life or death situation._

_ Literally._

Two days later, they were involved in another E.V.O attack

Completely accidental, E. just seemed attracted to Rex. It was like a 'birds of feather flock together' kind of thing.

Except if that bird was a giant grey thing with multiple faces all over its body. Sam had a feeling this was no kitty. It was over quickly. Sam turned the dazed looking guy over to the police. Suddenly, she had a terrible pain in her head. As if she'd been hit by an extremely large sledgehammer. She screamed and fell to the ground clutching her head in pain. She rolled on the ground in agony. The last thing she remembered before passing out, was Noah standing over her. Then she slipped into pure oblivion.

Sam was out for three days. And they were the longest days of Noah's life.

He stopped by everyday to ask about her to the point that the nurses stopped asking him to leave and Bobo stopped teasing him about being in love with her. He didn't even care; he came each and every day. With roses, until she woke up.

Sam's eyes flickered open. The room was all white and she wondered if she was dead or dying. She gave herself a quick inspection. She felt sore but everything was fully operational. She winced and sat up, her head felt numb but it didn't hurt. She turned and found Noah asleep in the chair beside her bed. She gave her brain two minutes to comprehend his presence. He stirred. Then he opened his eyes. When he saw her, his eyes popped wide open.

"Sam!" He threw his arms around her hard and she hugged him back laughing until they realized how close they were. Then they moved back a few feet, both blushing. She raised her eyes shyly, suddenly noticing that every conceivable surface in the room was covered in bouquets of roses in all colours except yellow. Which was good, she hated yellow roses.

"Aw, Noah, did you get me all these?" She slid out of her bed and sniffed one bunch. "I love roses!" She smiled at him gratefully and Noah realized how much she missed that smile. She hugged him again and this time, none of them moved back. They fitted in all the right places; like they were made for each other and Noah knew he loved her like no other. Nothing would ever make him feel differently.

"You fake!" Rex burst in looking angry. More than angry. He looked furious. And he was glaring at Sam. She blanched. "She works for White."

"What?" Noah backed away from her a bit.

"Tell 'em Samantha, what did White offer you?" Rex's hands were threatening to turn into slam cannons. "Money, fame, happiness?" Noah had let go of her and was staring down at the floor. Her heart sank. She couldn't stand Rex's fury or Noah's rejection. It was too much for her, so she ran.

Noah couldn't believe she worked for White. He had too but Rex had forgiven him. They were still cool, but he had gotten off easy because he was Rex's best friend. And if she was faking their friendship, who's to say she wasn't faking any of her feelings for him? If she had any. He wasn't sure. But he wanted to find out.

"Sam, Sam come on it's me, Noah." He had taken Oreo with him since the cat had seemed really depressed when Sam didn't reappear to play with her and was mewing pitifully in her room. Sam wasn't by the basketball court. Then he remembered something she'd told him on one of those days she'd snuck out with him. She had an intense craving for vanilla and chocolate ice cream when she got depressed. He found her in Luigi's Ice Cream Parlour with about four ice cream cups beside her. She'd just finished her fifth one. Then she noticed him.

"Hey Noah." She brightened when he handed Oreo over to her and she nuzzled her face in his fur. Until the manager told her that no pets were allowed in the store. Which was how they came to be sitting at the edge of the basketball court. She kept her eyes down; she didn't want to have to face Noah. She felt like a rat, a mean, backstabbing rat.

"I'm not mad." She turned and stared at him in surprise. She'd expected him to hate her, despise her even. And here he was telling her that he wasn't mad at her. Her eyes welled up and she put Oreo down so she could hug him. And then she couldn't hold it all back. The tears, the hurt, the fear, it all came rushing out. And he just held her close to his chest while she cried.

She wiped her eyes while he inspected the front of his shirt, which was now soaked.

"Sorry," she sniffled and he reached out a hand to wipe away a stray tear. His touch was strange yet familiar and it sent a warm tingle through her.

"It's okay," he sat down and she sat beside him. "I have a confession to make." She turned to him curiously, "I used to work for White too." Her eyes widened in shock. No wonder he was that understanding about the whole thing.

"If you understood why did you back away from me that time?" He sighed.

"Because I wasn't sure if our friendship was real, and it mattered because I like you, more than any girl I know." Sam threw her arms around him laughing.

"I like you too Noah, always have." They hugged for a long time.

"I still don't know _why _you decided to work for White." He was running a finger up and down the centre of her back and it was giving her shivers. She sighed, truth time. She had to tell someone, and she loved him enough to trust him.

"Because without him, I'm going to die." Noah froze and looked into her eyes. He was confused, so she elaborated.

"When I was born, something went wrong with my nanites, they became unstable and will explode one day and take me along with them," she paused for a second to allow him ask any questions. He didn't. So she continued. "The only reason they haven't exploded before now is because they need my life energy to survive, kind of like parasites.

"White has the right nanites that can fuse with my nanites and cure me."

"Why can't Rex cure you?"

"One, I'm not on his list of favourite people, two, his nanites are different from mine," she looked scared, "if any of his touches mine I'll go boom on the spot." Well that didn't offer her a lot of choices.

"We can go and talk to Rex, maybe Holiday can help." She looked up at him. She looked so frightened and vulnerable, he knew he had to take care of her.

Holiday peered into Sam's eyes with a laser. Then she typed into her computer. She hissed at the results.

"She's right, her nanites as far too unstable for Rex to heal." Rex stood with his arms folded. He was still furious, but this time his fury was directed at White. For someone to gamble with an innocent child's life was twisted in so many ways. Sam blinked when Holiday turned off the laser.

"So what do we do?" Noah hadn't left her side for a minute, he took her hand and the touch was comforting.

"Maybe, it's a slim chance, but if I get a study of her current nanites, I might be able to construct the perfect nanites to fuse with hers." Holiday was already studying the pictures on her screen. Sam felt a bit relieved. At least now she had a second alternative. She turned to see Rex. He looked tense.

"Look Rex, I'm sorry," she stood; Rex looked up and mustered up a smile. Then she had a thought, "how'd you know about White?" He shrugged.

"I was heading out for some time off, then I heard Six talking to White." He turned his head away, "I never trusted that guy." Noah moved behind her. She leaned back against him; she could feel his heartbeat against her. Suddenly, White's face flickered on the screen. And he looked mad, madder than usual. But she didn't flinch; she moved closer to Noah and his arms instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist. She knew he was safe with him, that nothing would hurt her because he wouldn't let it. Who cared if he couldn't make giant hands and cannons come out of his body. He loved her, which was all that really mattered.

"Rex, what are you doing?" White rarely ever spoke to Rex, mostly he talked to Six or Holiday.

"Trying to save someone's life, the usual, you?" Sam giggled at his cheerfully fake voice. She felt Noah's laugh reverberate through her. It was too bad they hadn't kissed yet.

"Ms. Simon, you know why you were hired, you don't turn your back on your employer." She snorted in derision.

"It's no better to backstab your friends," _and the people you love_ she squeezed Noah's hand. She scowled up at the screen, "don't use the loyalty thing on me, what would you know about it?" Before White could respond, blackmail them or whatever, the screen went blank. Holiday stared at the dark screen uncomprehendingly. Until Six came out from behind it holding a plug. Rex's mouth fell open; he'd pulled the plug on White. Sam looked at Six with new respect.

"Man Six, I didn't think you had it in you," Rex slapped the guy on the back. Six stared at Rex.

"So how' Sam?" She shrugged. Holiday looked up from her notepad.

"Her nanites are incredibly unstable," she scribbled something down, "the chances of me being able to construct the perfect nanites are highly unlikely."

Sam's head suddenly felt heavy, she clutched at Noah. He peered at her worriedly. She smiled shakily at him. The weight in her head got heavier, then lighter. As if her brain was growing smaller. She swayed against him. Her vision got hazy. Holiday attached a metal thing to her arm.

"Her condition is worsening." Noah scooped her up in his arms and she cuddled against him. Her whole body felt funny. She felt cold, then warm, her head felt as if it had swollen like a balloon, then shrunk down and squeezed her brain. It was as if her body settings were going haywire. Then she went limp in his arms.

It took five days for Sam to come around. Holiday said that if she had another relapse, she might not ever wake up. So they'd knocked her out and prepared to inject the nanites.

Noah stood beside her bed; he stroked a strand of fiery hair away from her face. She was just asleep. Holiday came in. In one hand she held an injection filled with wriggling silver grey masses. Noah and Rex stood. All three made eye contact and a silent, mutual agreement passed between them. Holiday slowly slid the long needle into her arm and injected the new nanites into her. For a minute there was no immediate reaction. Then she began to buck up and down on the bed. Her body thrashed, and whenever either Rex or Noah tried to hold her down, one of her flailing limbs would hit them.

Then the jerking stopped. Her breathing slowed and she didn't move. Noah ran a finger down her cheek. Her skin felt warm, and soft.

"I think she has a chance," Holiday smiled a bit. Noah exhaled with relief; he hadn't realized how long he'd been holding his breath.

Two days later, Sam opened her eyes. She was in a white room. She turned to the chair beside her bed. It was vacant. She sighed. Then the memories of the past days came rushing back. She could feel a change in herself. Her body no longer felt at odds with itself.

She stood up and swayed, and then she made her way towards the door. She could hear Rex and Noah talking in Rex's room. She paused outside the door to listen.

"I don't know what I'll do if she, you know, doesn't make it," Noah's voice was laced with pain.

"Yeah, and you never did get round to kissing her." The sudden slap let her know that Rex had hit Bobo for his inappropriate comment. She swung the door open.

"Hey guys," Rex, Noah and Bobo all turned to her in and shock. Her gaze focused on Noah, "what, no roses?" Noah grabbed her and crushed her to him in one long embrace. Rex and Bobo sidled out slowly. She leaned back a bit. He traced the shape of her eyes and lips. She raised a hand to his cheek. Their eyes locked and they leaned closer until their lips touched.

And then nothing existed but their kiss. Each felt the other's love in their kisses. Noah wrapped his arms around her waist. She hooked her arms around his shoulders and neck, holding him closer. Neither wanted to let the other go.

And there was nothing to make them do so.


End file.
